The present invention relates in general to solvent preparations and, more particularly, such preparations wherein the solvent constitutes the active ingredient as distinguished from functioning as a vehicle or carrier for a particular solute.
In connection with the present invention, it is to be understood that in considering a solvent as an active ingredient, one is concerned with the capacity or function of a solvent to act directly upon an agent or composition to be treated, as distinguished from utilization as a mere vehicle or carrier for solubilizing compositions to render the latter efficacious with predetermined compounds and the like. Traditionally, in chemical specialties manufacturing, the term "solvent" has consistently signified, or referred to, a vehicle or carrier for a particular ingredient or class of ingredients, which latter have been customarily denominated as "actives"; the same being the specific chemical selected to perform the indicated reaction. Thus, solvents, in essence, acting in the solubilizing capacities thereof, do not act directly upon the agent to be treated, but subserviently merely carry or extend the active agent. Exemplary of the foregoing is the fact that certain silicone lubricants are carried in solvents, such as, methylene chloride, and then as so solubilized or carried, is applied to the part to be lubricated. In such application the methylene chloride does serve several purposes, namely to facilitate handling of the silicone fluid; to effect the utilization of that amount of silicone necessary to accomplish the particular purpose, avoiding waste; and to provide certain film-forming characteristics. All of such purposes of the solvent, methylene chloride, are "solvent related" in that the same are concomitant of the vehicular or carrier purposes of such solvent.
In the present invention, however, the term "solvent" is understood as identifying a composition or preparation which performs the ultimate active task and thus becomes the "active ingredient" of a unique group of formulated products. Illustrative of the foregoing is a preparation designed to effect paint removal wherein methylene chloride, though generally recognized as a solvent in the vehicle or carrier sense, is now the primary active ingredient which renders the preparation capable of effecting the intended function, namely--paint removal. Similarly, in products formulated for electrical motor degreasing, certain compounds considered as solvents in the classical sense, such as, 1,1,1-trichlorethane and perchlorethylene, may be embodied as the active degreasing agent.
Heretofore, efforts to utilize solvents as one of the primary inter-reactive agents in a preparation has, for the most part, constituted merely endeavoring to emulsify the solvent. It is fully believed that by such emulsification the quantity of solvent utilized would actually be as active in a non-emulsified state. Such emulsified solvents have not proved successful and have not been adopted in even a limited, general sense since the same have performed in a consistently poor manner, markedly inferior to that achieved by use of non-emulsified solvents, and also that since only water insoluble solvents could be emulsified, there was, perforce, omitted the considerably broad range of water soluble solvents.
However, in utilizing water soluble solvents as an active ingredient in current efforts, the only technique other than using the solvent in full strength has been to dilute same with water. Such dilution brings about a direct diminishing effectiveness of the solvent so that as the strength of the same is reduced, the capability or performance of such water soluble solvent is correspondingly weakened.
Therefore, the present invention resides in rendering preparations wherein either or both water insoluble and water soluble solvents serve efficiently as the active ingredient, but wherein emulsification of the water in soluble component, and water dilution of the water soluble solvent, are unnecessary even though such solvents are not incorporated in full strength state, but rather in a markedly, economically productive, relatively reduced amount so that but a fraction of the same may be embodied and productive of results heretofore achieved only with full strength conditions.
The achievement of these remarkable results has been brought about by the incorporation in the particular preparations of a limited amount of a chemical which serves to cause the solvent preparation to be a dispersion. This specific agent is cocodiethanolamide, the use of which for forming dispersions of well recognized active ingredients such as, for example, water-base paints, mold release and lubricating agents, synthetic lubricants, belt dressings, common greases, lubricant coatings, waxes, etc., as an aerosolization, has been disclosed in applicant's co-pending Application Ser. No. 282,050, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,343, and Ser. No. 237,155, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,342, entitled "Aerosol Preparations", and as in bulk form in pending Application Ser. No. 250,745, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,344, entitled "Water Dispersions". However, in none of these applications has there been considered or taught the embodying of a solvent, as above explicated, as the active ingredient. Any solvents alluded to in such pending applications have been in the traditional context, such as, subordinatingly providing vehicle or carrier functions, or conducing to the bonding characteristics of a particular active ingredient and the like. The present invention further differentiates in demonstrating that a singularly limited quantity of such dispersing agent is sufficient for adapting solvents for active ingredient roles, which quantities are of unexpected minute character.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide preparations wherein a solvent constitutes the active ingredient and which is in an amount markedly less than that normally required by the solvent for the intended activity.
It is another object of the present invention to provide preparations of the character stated wherein the solvent may be either water soluble or water insoluble, or preselected combinations or mixtures of the same, there being no limitation to the types of solvent or relative proportionality requisite for efficacy. Thus, a preparation with such a mixture will permit concurrent treatment of the diverse water soluble and water insoluble components of a reactive deposit or intermixture.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide preparations of the character stated, being in the nature of dispersions, which are economically formulated.
It is another object of the present invention to provide preparations of the character stated which may be formulated with a minimum number of ingredients, with substantially relatively reduced amounts of the solvent or solvents embodied so that substantial economies are brought about in production.
As indicated above, the present invention may comprehend a multiplicity of water insoluble solvents or water soluble solvents as distinguished from mixtures of the same so that a reactive mass normally requiring sequential treatment by a series of solvents of one type or the other may be concurrently subjected to the related solvent.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide preparations of the character stated which obviate the necessity of forming emulsifications of water insoluble solvents and distinct solutions of water soluble solvents as have heretofore been so unsatisfactorily utilized.
It is another object of the present invention to provide preparations of the character stated which eliminate hazards and perils in usage which would have attended utilization of the particular solvents in their normal undiluted states.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide preparations of the type hereinabove discussed wherein the same are amenable to presentation for use in any preselected form, such as, as an aerosol, or for bulk distribution, such as through a pump spray, or by direct manual application with a suitable applicator.